Thoughts and Reflections on Globalization

     Globalization has been one of the hottest buzzwords of the past decade. Almost paradoxically however, the definition of globalization is still frequently contested by experts in the field of Global Studies. The catch 22 that one runs into when trying to define it is that it is such a multifaceted and abstract concept that experts have a tendency to only focus on one aspect of it. However, if one gets too broad in their definition, the word loses specificity and to some degree, meaning. Simply put, Globalization is the growing economic, political, and cultural interdependence being established around the world and the growing consciousness of the world at large. Assuming for the sake of argument that this definition is correct, this paints a picture of a growing homogenization and to some degree westernization of the world as a whole. Skeptics and critics of globalization say that the world has been more or less this connected for centuries. While they are partially correct in that globalization has, up until recently, been a slow and ongoing process, it can be seen that over the past few decades the process has seen a dramatic increase in pace. European colonization around the globe was a perfect example of globalization, as it introduced both parties to new technologies, many of which were adopted. The establishment of international commerce was also an early demonstration of globalization. It is undoubtedly a process which has been going on for centuries, but the relatively recent introduction of the internet has sped up globalization considerably in that it is now possible for a huge amount of the population to access virtually any information at any time. Though globalization started centuries ago, the very nature of it has shifted in the modern world.